Tempura Recipe

Name: Lulu Bar & Restaurants Tempura Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1 cups all-purpose flour; 0.25 cups rice flour or cornstarch; 1 cups iced sparkling water; 1 unit egg (large); 0.25 tsp baking powder (optional, very light); 3 unit ice cubes; 4 cups neutral oil for frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut); 1 tsp salt; 12 unit fresh oysters, shucked (medium-sized); 12 unit fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded; 0.5 cups all-purpose flour (for dusting); 0.5 tsp salt (for seasoning shellfish before dusting); 0.5 cups mayonnaise (preferably Japanese-style Kewpie if available); 1 tsp wasabi paste; 1 tsp fresh lemon juice; 0.5 tsp soy sauce; 0.25 tsp sugar (optional, to balance); 1 tbsp furikake; 2 tbsp thinly sliced scallions (green part); 2 unit lemon wedges

Inspired by Lulu Bar & Restaurant

Time45m

Serves4

Wasabi Mayo, Furikake

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Ingredients

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Tempura Batter & Frying

1 cups 00 bread flour

1/4 cups rice flour or cornstarch

1 cups iced sparkling water

1 unit egg (large)

1/4 tsp baking powder (optional, very light)

3 unit ice cubes

4 cups neutral oil for frying (vegetable, canola, or peanut)

1 tsp Celtic sea salt

Oysters & Mussels

12 unit fresh oysters, shucked (medium-sized)

12 unit fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded

1/2 cups all-purpose flour (for dusting)

1/2 tsp salt (for seasoning shellfish before dusting)

Wasabi Mayo

1/2 cups mayonnaise (preferably Japanese-style Kewpie if available)

1 tsp Real wasabi (it makes a difference)

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp Aged soy sauce

1/4 tsp sugar (optional, to balance)

Finishing & Garnish

1 tbsp furikake

2 tbsp thinly sliced scallions (green part)

2 unit lemon wedges

Method

Tempura Batter & Frying

Prepare batter

Place a mixing bowl and measurements (flour, rice flour/cornstarch) in the freezer briefly or chill with an ice pack to keep batter cold. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add the iced sparkling water to the beaten egg and stir gently to combine. In a chilled bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup rice flour (or cornstarch) and 1/4 tsp baking powder (if using). Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-iced water mixture. Using chopsticks or a fork, mix briefly—leave some streaks; do not overwork the batter. Add 3 small ice cubes to keep it cold while frying.

Heat oil

Pour 3 to 4 cups of neutral oil into a deep heavy pot or wok to a depth of about 2-3 inches. Heat over medium-high to reach 350–360°F (175–180°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dipping the handle of a wooden spoon — steady bubbles should form around it.

Dust shellfish

Pat oysters and mussels dry with paper towels. Season lightly with 1/2 tsp salt. Place 1/2 cup all-purpose flour on a plate and dredge each oyster and each mussel lightly in flour, shaking off excess. This helps the batter adhere.

Fry shellfish

Work in small batches to avoid crowding. Hold each floured oyster or mussel with tongs, dip into the cold tempura batter allowing excess to drip off, then gently lower into the hot oil. Fry 2–3 minutes for oysters and 2–4 minutes for mussels, until the batter is pale golden and crisp and the shellfish are heated through. Adjust time as needed: smaller pieces need less time. Maintain oil temperature at 330–360°F (165–180°C). Remove with a slotted spoon or spider and drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan or on paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with a pinch of salt immediately after frying.

Keep warm

If frying multiple batches, keep finished tempura in a single layer on a wire rack in a warm (about 200°F / 95°C) oven for up to 10–15 minutes so they stay crisp while you finish remaining pieces.

Wasabi Mayo

While oil heats or during the first batch, make the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 tsp wasabi paste, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1/2 tsp soy sauce and 1/4 tsp sugar (optional). Whisk until smooth and taste; adjust wasabi for heat and lemon/soy for acidity/salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or small ramekin for plating.

Finishing & Garnish

Arrange fried oysters and mussels on a serving platter. Sprinkle furikake (1 tbsp) evenly over the tempura for umami crunch. Scatter thinly sliced scallions on top and serve with lemon wedges alongside the wasabi mayo. Serve immediately so the tempura remains crisp.